Demba Ba – I Just Haven’t Played Well Enough

When players leave Newcastle it’s very rare that they do as well at another club than they did at Newcastle, and some examples are Shay Given, Charles N’Zogbia, Andy Carroll, Joey Barton, Danny Guthrie, and most recently Demba Ba.

Demba Ba – when he returned to St. James Park earlier this year
That’s not always the case, and a minority of players continue to do well after leaving Newcastle, and two good examples of that are Kevin Nolan and Aaron Hughes, who is now at Fulham, via Aston Villa.

Aaron was sold by Graeme Souness in the summer of 2005, and was one of the players who were not good enough for the Magpies, at least according to Graeme, but since leaving Newcastle eight years ago Aaron has played 300 first team games for two Premier League clubs.

Maybe a striking example (excuse the pun) is Demba Ba, who scored 29 goals in 58 appearances for Newcastle in a season and a half, but he hasn’t had much of a look in at Chelsea since he joined them in January, and especially this season.

But Demba Ba puts the responsibility on nobody else but himself, as he has said this on the Chelsea web-site:

“I haven’t played as well as I did at Newcastle and West Ham,” “I needed time to settle, I work hard and I believe the rewards come with hard work.”

“I’m not looking at any causes outside myself, I would just say that if I’d played very well I would have played every game, and if I haven’t played every game it’s because I haven’t played well enough.”

But with Chelsea signing Samuel Eto’o, who has played a lot for Jose Mourinho in his career, it seems that Ba will struggle to get many games this season, and it could well be he goes out on loan in January.

And it maybe a good career move that Yohan Cabaye didn’t go to Arsenal after all in August, because he wouldn’t have played as much as he plays at Newcastle, because there’s more competition for places in central midfield at the Gunners.

What do you think?

Comments welcome.

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Demba, like Cabs and probably Remy and Collo do now, seems to have seen himself as being a little held back by Newcastle. Treading water when he might have been cracking on, understandable if perhaps overreaching a little.

jimmy wat a crock of shit!!
held back!?
ba was no1 with fans
collo no1 with fans
cabs “was” no1 with fans
please tell me these top teams that have come in for these players apart from arsenal who might as well’ve offered a fiver ?

I think these players may be of a mind that they can earn more money or advance their careers more effectively elsewhere, considering events over the last 18 months at Newcastle. They are all excellent and ambitious players, whether that ambition takes the form of money or greater recognition.

Dont see the need to have a whitey about it to be honest. Just a point of view and hardly a stretch at that.

@Jimmy – it must be strange for a player to see other clubs who have far smaller stadiums and fan bases buying quality players and having a real go at improving their side while we hire a bloke who can’t pronounce the names of any players we already have in a position where he is in charge of buying and selling players.

Then there’s all the rumours that this is purely to oust the current manager; it’s no surprise that players are considering their futures.

Whilst they might be giving everything they can on the pitch the rest of the people at the club don’t even seem to be TRYING to improve!

So simple is that, Chelski dangled a bigger wage deal for his nose, and no matter which player it is, then a higher wage packet will always be the reason behind a Transfer?
Playing time has Naff-all to do with it ! Plus Greedy Agents!

The fact that Chelsea can more or less guarantee Champions League football also has a lot to do with it.

Whichever way you look at it, we will always get shafted, if a club like Chelsea or Manure or Shitty are interested in any od our players?

Earnestly hoping that today does not turn out to be TDSarf and team vs Ciaran and team again. There was just one day of sunshine at the weekend.. and again it has become a forum for fighting.
Imagine all the people.. living life in peace… yooo hooo.. 🙂

It’s understandable, footballers have short career. they would want to win something and earn as much money as possible while they still able.
Different people has different mind, mentality, and ambition, some want to take the easiest road by joining winning team, others want to take more difficult road and fight with underdogs to win.
The diificult road will have more satisfaction and greater meaning, but also have very little chance to succeed.
If you want loyalty, it’s very rare commodity these days. I hope someday we will have players like Maldini, a very good footballer and very loyal. So far we have loyal players but mediocre players.

So your saying if you worked for a company that constantly promised better working conditions but consistantly didnt deliver on said promises, then one day a much better run company came along and offered you better working conditions for a larger pay packet you wouldnt consider it?

Like it or not professional football is a career just like factory work.. the money they make is irellevant.. if someone is unhappy at there job and dont want to do it, its thier choice if they want to keep it or not, and anyone elses opinion means absolute jack shit, includeing yours lol 😉

A move ‘up’ often backfires, it’s happened many times with NUFC players. Ba will surely never be a star at Chelsea. He’s had his chance, it’s gone. If I were in his place I’d honestly take a Stoke (or something) than the bench and anonymity.

As for Cabaye, yes, I can’t see him as anything more than a bench warmer at Arsenal. Here too 😉

On HBA: Remy has brought the balance of attack and speed we always needed. That’s why HBA, Goufy (Sissoko, Anita too) are finding more space now. HBA needs to stay fit… that’s the danger with this team, we depend on him big time. ie. we still need a top class winger.

I know they make a lot of money more than you and I combined, but you have to face the reality that people have different level of priorities. Footballers don’t have other skills or knowledge other than playing football, what can they do after their career is over? New career? probably 99% fail except Vinnie Jones. We retire on the age 60-65, they retire 35-40 normally and not all of them can be coaches or managers.
We probably would do the same thing if better offers on the table. In Ba’s case, probably he wanted to win something rather than money and Chelsea have better chance of winning.

I get why footballers often go for the best deal financially…short career and don just want enough money to live for the rest of their lives they want enough money to maintain a very high standard of living.

could easily earn 30k a week over your 15 year career and be totally set for life, much much more so than your average person.

But, like any profession, there is always somebody earning more and you either want the same/more as you think you are as good/better or you want all the luxaries they have. One player might have a nice car but another may have a yacht..most people nearly always want more.

Just a quick word before I sod off to work: somebody mentioned a page or so back that they were in support of the name change because “it brings in extra revenue”… so how come the Wonga deal is less than the Vigin Money deal? Just saying.

i mentioned something like that…i said that i’d accept (not be happy) with a stadium name change as long as it brought in an extra 10-15 mil (on top of shirt deal, not including it) and that the money would be spent towards first team players.

I’m sure we can keep the run going, Remy seems key though. He is the pace we need on the left hand side, as well as being a good goal scorer too. Once fully fit he will be even better i’m sure.

I think gouffran playing left could allow us to play that style too but Pardew doesn’t seem to think so (he sees them more than me so probably right)…I just can’t figure out when we can’t play that attacking style with gouff in for remy.

Yes. It does give us width and movement and doesn’t allow the opposition to double bank on one side. For me the jury is still out on Gouffran . At present I see him as an impact player to be introduced in the last 20 minutes. He does look fitter but does not always exercise the right options. Just my opinion. He could well play a full game against Leeds.

One of the big changes that hasn’t received much comment is Sissoko going CM and Cabaye playing the free role.

Cabaye did very little against Villa but imo this position is where we’ll get the best out of the talent he has. I can see Cabaye scoring 8-12 goals from this position and weighing in with assists.

My only concern about the formation against Villa is that Remy and HBA offer very little support to the FB’s defensively especially if the go bombing upfield. However, Santon especially seemed to be far more disciplined in that respect against Villa and Debuchy had a decent game defensively.

Let’s hope Villa wasn’t a false dawn and that this team and formation develops on in the next few games. If it does we could really surprise a few teams and excite the fans. HWTL.

I would have pushed for Ba on loan. For me he has nothing to apologise for as he always gave 100%. My concern is that of injuries to key players and having to revert to being less adventurous in our play. As well as Remy making a big difference there is Yanga who enables us to play a higher line and to squeeze the play. Tiote should be more comfortable playing in the current formation. Not that I am suggesting he comes in for Anita who deserves a run.

I would prefer to give Cisse a little break maybe 2 or 3 games and play him as a sub.
He hasn’t done much and I don’t think he gets more confidence by playing and not doing anything.
Play Gouffran if 433 or just Remy alone up front and play Marv.

For wages alone look at the maths: A year is 52 WEEKS, the average person works from age 18 to 60 that is 42 years! SO in a year the top earners only need to work for a year to make more than the average ” guy ” would make in a lifetime!!! If your top pro has a career of 10-15 years he would have made more than we would have in 10 lifetimes. Its all just greed but by degree’s, BA would have been far better off taking the offer NUFC made him instead of going to London. He is a little fish is an ever growing pond and is nowhere now. I for one would welcome him back as everyone is going to make a big mistake once in their life, and I am sure his agent’s had a lot to do with it. Just my 2p’s worth.

He should have been on better wages at NUFC colo is top earner why? Ba was carrying the team wen colo head was off in his homeland leading the bk four to one of the worst defensive records lst season, Ba is a class act Ba has been dropped in and out of the team at Chelsea and not shown any love, like Struridge, Moses and others before him that has a major affect on confidence, id move heaven and earth to get him bk to nufc their has been a whole in our team and our locker room since he was allowed to leave.

Bills son did you not see Santon getting caught out for Agbonlahor’s sitter it was his fault cant blame the lad tho his natural thing is to get forward not defend and AP cant see that? Santon was at fault for alot of goals lst season and lost us alot of games but he gets a pass all the time, now is the time to move him onto the wings.

In honor of two dedicated Newcastle fans, who lost their lives supporting Newcastle United.

Their passenger jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday July 17th, 2014 by rebels, as they were traveling to support the team in New Zealand.

We will never forget them.

Health Update - 4 Aug, 2016

The good news last week was that after more blood tests my PSA count is still undetectable

This means the prostate cancer is still under control, and there is no trace of it in the body.

Now to be even more vigilant so I can see the Rafa Benitez project come to its fruition over the next few years - wouldn't want to miss that.

Howay The Lads!!>

Ed Harrison

What Is A Football Club?

What is a club in any case?

Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.

It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.

It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.

It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.